Would a Final Record of 24-11 (9-9) (2-1) Make the Big Dance?

[Turk]

Result Record
Nov. 13, 2015 MASS LOWELL W 79-57 1-0
Nov. 18, 2015 Fairfield W 79-72 2-0
Nov. 20, 2015 Columbia W 83-80 3-0
Nov. 23, 2015 at N. Carolina1 L 80-69 3-1
Nov. 24, 2015 Missouri2 W 67-62 4-1
Nov. 28, 2015 New Orleans W 90-63 5-1
Dec. 1, 2015 at Virginia Tech W 81-79 6-1
Dec. 1, 2015 at Virginia Tech W 81-79 7-1
Dec. 5, 2015 SIU-Edwardsville W 81-56 8-1
Dec. 13, 2015 Chicago St. 9-1
Dec. 15, 2015 Mississippi Valley 10-1
Dec. 19, 2015 at DePaul 11-1
Dec. 21, 2015 Sacred Heart 12-1
Dec. 27, 2015 Loyola Maryland 13-1
Dec. 30, 2015 at Nebraska 13-2 (0-1)
Jan. 2, 2016 Maryland 13-3 (0-2)
Jan. 6, 2016 Ohio State 14-3 (1-2)
Jan. 9, 2016 at Minnesota 15-3 (2-2)
Jan. 12, 2016 Wisconsin 16-3 (3-2)
Jan. 16, 2016 Penn State 17-3 (4-2)
Jan. 19, 2016 at Maryland 17-4 (4-3)
Jan. 23, 2016 at Indiana 17-5 (4-4)
Jan. 28, 2016 Michigan State 17-6 (4-5)
Jan. 31, 2016 at Iowa 17-7 (4-6)
Feb. 4, 2016 Minnesota 18-7 (5-6)
Feb. 9, 2016 at Ohio State 18-8 (5-7)
Feb. 13, 2016 Illinois 19-8 (6-7)
Feb. 16, 2016 at Purdue 19-9 (6-8)
Feb. 24, 2016 at Michigan 19-10 (6-9)
Feb. 27, 2016 Rutgers 20-10 (7-9)
Mar. 3, 2016 at Penn State 21-10 (8-9)
Mar. 6, 2016 Nebraska 22-10 (9-9)

BTT 2-1

 

[NJCat83588]

Result Record
Nov. 13, 2015 MASS LOWELL W 79-57 1-0
Nov. 18, 2015 Fairfield W 79-72 2-0
Nov. 20, 2015 Columbia W 83-80 3-0
Nov. 23, 2015 at N. Carolina1 L 80-69 3-1
Nov. 24, 2015 Missouri2 W 67-62 4-1
Nov. 28, 2015 New Orleans W 90-63 5-1
Dec. 1, 2015 at Virginia Tech W 81-79 6-1
Dec. 1, 2015 at Virginia Tech W 81-79 7-1
Dec. 5, 2015 SIU-Edwardsville W 81-56 8-1
Dec. 13, 2015 Chicago St. 9-1
Dec. 15, 2015 Mississippi Valley 10-1
Dec. 19, 2015 at DePaul 11-1
Dec. 21, 2015 Sacred Heart 12-1
Dec. 27, 2015 Loyola Maryland 13-1
Dec. 30, 2015 at Nebraska 13-2 (0-1)
Jan. 2, 2016 Maryland 13-3 (0-2)
Jan. 6, 2016 Ohio State 14-3 (1-2)
Jan. 9, 2016 at Minnesota 15-3 (2-2)
Jan. 12, 2016 Wisconsin 16-3 (3-2)
Jan. 16, 2016 Penn State 17-3 (4-2)
Jan. 19, 2016 at Maryland 17-4 (4-3)
Jan. 23, 2016 at Indiana 17-5 (4-4)
Jan. 28, 2016 Michigan State 17-6 (4-5)
Jan. 31, 2016 at Iowa 17-7 (4-6)
Feb. 4, 2016 Minnesota 18-7 (5-6)
Feb. 9, 2016 at Ohio State 18-8 (5-7)
Feb. 13, 2016 Illinois 19-8 (6-7)
Feb. 16, 2016 at Purdue 19-9 (6-8)
Feb. 24, 2016 at Michigan 19-10 (6-9)
Feb. 27, 2016 Rutgers 20-10 (7-9)
Mar. 3, 2016 at Penn State 21-10 (8-9)
Mar. 6, 2016 Nebraska 22-10 (9-9)

BTT 2-1

Yes. 9 regular season wins is borderline but 2 BTT tournament wins would seal the deal. Last season Iowa was a 6-seed with 9 wins but lost in the first round to NU. NU lost to 3-seed MSU. I suspect that this season the 3 seed will not be either MD or MSU so it is a winnable game.

 

[xxjfgxx]

24 wins and you're in! Coming out of BigTen 20 may do it .

 

[ToledoCat]

that would easily be in with a decent seed

 

[slider2cc]

24-11 is beyond a lock. I think less might get us in.

 

[Turk]

Yes. 9 regular season wins is borderline but 2 BTT tournament wins would seal the deal. Last season Iowa was a 6-seed with 9 wins but lost in the first round to NU. NU lost to 3-seed MSU. I suspect that this season the 3 seed will not be either MD or MSU so it is a winnable game.

Thanks, I have no idea, that's why I asked. What I presented is still a bit of a dream although doable if they keep shooting and progressing without injury. Just seems like some of the BIG teams are down. Should have a better chance this year to beat OSU and Wisconsin at home. I was thinking if we won 9 then we would need at least 2 BTT wins. But I have no idea.

I looked at our schedule last month and figured we can get maybe 17 or 18 wins, and be happy with a NIT flirtation. But we are playing fairly good team ball and making shots when it counts. Those two OT wins were huge.

I also think we can upset MSU or beat anyone, while also losing to anyone. But overall, we have been playing some good team ball and there isn't much of a drop off going 9 deep. Been impressed with Tap, Skelly, JVZ coming off the bench. More consistency out of Lindsey and things could get interesting. One injury to a guard and we are in serious trouble. Ash just isn't ready. Sucks, because with how we are playing, if we had Law, I'd say we would be a damn solid team this year. NU curse!

 

[Styre]

The second BTT win would do it, yeah -- that would put us into the conference semis.

The two best wins on that schedule as you drew it up are home against Ohio State and home against Wisconsin, plus whoever we beat in the second BTT game. That resume isn't that great, but the sheer quantity of wins and lack of bad losses (@Nebraska the worst) would be enough.

 

[Turk]

The second BTT win would do it, yeah -- that would put us into the conference semis.

The two best wins on that schedule as you drew it up are home against Ohio State and home against Wisconsin, plus whoever we beat in the second BTT game. That resume isn't that great, but the sheer quantity of wins and lack of bad losses (@Nebraska the worst) would be enough.

At Nebraska isn't a gimmie. Nebraska played the U very good at home. I think it went to OT. Don't get me wrong, I think we could lose to any BT team, but I like how we are playing very good team ball right now. When one player is off his game, another player steps up this year, and they are determined to win. I really like Skelly. Both him, JVZ and Tap are providing some great bench minutes. This may be the first year where our bench regularly scores enough points that we can count on it. Prior years, our bench points were not really "Bench points", we would just use guys like Demps as a 6th man and bring him in the game at about the 4 minute mark. But for all intent, he was basically a starter. This year, Tap, Skelly, JVZ are true bench players and providing VERY good minutes within their roles that allow me to get excited about things.

 

[hdhntr1]

Result Record
Nov. 13, 2015 MASS LOWELL W 79-57 1-0
Nov. 18, 2015 Fairfield W 79-72 2-0
Nov. 20, 2015 Columbia W 83-80 3-0
Nov. 23, 2015 at N. Carolina1 L 80-69 3-1
Nov. 24, 2015 Missouri2 W 67-62 4-1
Nov. 28, 2015 New Orleans W 90-63 5-1
Dec. 1, 2015 at Virginia Tech W 81-79 6-1
Dec. 1, 2015 at Virginia Tech W 81-79 7-1
Dec. 5, 2015 SIU-Edwardsville W 81-56 8-1
Dec. 13, 2015 Chicago St. 9-1
Dec. 15, 2015 Mississippi Valley 10-1
Dec. 19, 2015 at DePaul 11-1
Dec. 21, 2015 Sacred Heart 12-1
Dec. 27, 2015 Loyola Maryland 13-1
Dec. 30, 2015 at Nebraska 13-2 (0-1)
Jan. 2, 2016 Maryland 13-3 (0-2)
Jan. 6, 2016 Ohio State 14-3 (1-2)
Jan. 9, 2016 at Minnesota 15-3 (2-2)
Jan. 12, 2016 Wisconsin 16-3 (3-2)
Jan. 16, 2016 Penn State 17-3 (4-2)
Jan. 19, 2016 at Maryland 17-4 (4-3)
Jan. 23, 2016 at Indiana 17-5 (4-4)
Jan. 28, 2016 Michigan State 17-6 (4-5)
Jan. 31, 2016 at Iowa 17-7 (4-6)
Feb. 4, 2016 Minnesota 18-7 (5-6)
Feb. 9, 2016 at Ohio State 18-8 (5-7)
Feb. 13, 2016 Illinois 19-8 (6-7)
Feb. 16, 2016 at Purdue 19-9 (6-8)
Feb. 24, 2016 at Michigan 19-10 (6-9)
Feb. 27, 2016 Rutgers 20-10 (7-9)
Mar. 3, 2016 at Penn State 21-10 (8-9)
Mar. 6, 2016 Nebraska 22-10 (9-9)

BTT 2-1

THe BIG definitely looks weaker than in the past couple years. OSU , IL, RUT, MN, PSU, NEB look like wins against won't be worth much. Yes, we still have MSU, PUR and MD that look strong and teams like IA, WIand a couple others look OK but a lot of normally high quality teams look weak, A 9-9 record can be accomplished without beating anyone significant. So it likely will take 10 wins during the season or at least 9 and two wins in the BTT to make it.and even that might be marginal this year.

 

[EvanstonCat]

24-11 is beyond a lock. I think less might get us in.

24 wins is a lock, but UMASS Lowell does not count in our record, so we'd only be 12-1 and 21-10 after the regular season. Even if we lost in the BTT and finished 21-11, I think that might be enough to get in. Better that we one or two in the tourney. 22-11 or 23-11 get us in. 23 is probably beyond a lock. 22 is very likely one - will depend on who we beat. If we take down Michigan State on the road, I think 21-11 gets us in.

 

[NJCat83588]

24 wins is a lock, but UMASS Lowell does not count in our record, so we'd only be 12-1 and 21-10 after the regular season.

Huh???? It sure does.

Perhaps you are think about the exhibition game NU played against Quincy. That one doesn't count.

 

[Walker Fan]

Doug Gottlieb, CBS Sports College Basketball expert just said on his Inside College Basketball after reviewing another UW and OSU loss that the Big 10 is awful this year. He is known to engage in hyperbole on occasion. But he said that given the current state of the Big 10 might create opportunities for other schools in the Big 10 to step in the void like Northwestern. He said that Jon Rothstein had mentioned NU in the same light earlier in the show. But then he also said it might open the door for another at-large bid if the Big 10 does not have it usual allotment of NCAA teams of 7. Now this argument is irrelevant if NU does not take care of business and win the non-conference or conference games that it will be favored to win which has occurred many times as we, as NU fans, have seen.

BTW, 10 wins in the Big 10 is not a surefire or litmus test to the make the tourney if the 10 games that NU (hopefully, fingers crossed) wins are against the non-NCAA teams or interpreted as non-quality wins against top 40-50 RPI or what rankings the committee uses.

 

[Katatonic]

Wouldn't say a lock as w/ the B1G being down this season, will depend on what happens in the other P5 conferences and the mid-majors (better hope for not too many upsets in conference tourneys).

The committee likes to see not only a good SoS, but some wins against top 25 and top 50 teams (esp. away).

The way Turk has the W-Ls, the 'Cats would not have any top 25 wins and maybe 1-2 top 50 wins.

 

[Deeringfish]

Wouldn't say a lock as w/ the B1G being down this season, will depend on what happens in the other P5 conferences and the mid-majors (better hope for not too many upsets in conference tourneys).

The committee likes to see not only a good SoS, but some wins against top 25 and top 50 teams (esp. away).

The way Turk has the W-Ls, the 'Cats would not have any top 25 wins and maybe 1-2 top 50 wins.

Does the committee pay any attention to the story? What I'm asking is, does a first time appearance in the tournament create desirable press that might cause the committee to choose NU in a toss up? Seems like it gets pretty subjective when picking the last three or four teams.